1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to connectors or adapters for valves that allows or permits the valve to be joined to a flow line. More specifically, the present invention relates to a valve adapter that enables a valve found in a water hydrant to be replaced with a different valve.
2. Background Information
Damage often occurs to water pipes and faucets that are externally exposed to freezing conditions due to the expansion of water when it freezes. As a solution to this problem, hydrants or faucets have been designed that are mounted within the wall of a building, for example, such as is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,022,243. This placement of the hydrant is typically warm enough to prevent freezing of the piping, although the faucet head that is exposed to the elements can still be subject to freezing. Water that may have collected in the hydrant piping in the wall can be kept above freezing simply from the heat of the building that it is placed in. Further, this piping is typically placed in the wall at a slight angle so that water is directed towards the faucet head. In doing so, water within the valve body of the hydrant is able to discharge from the body prior to a freezing situation.
Still, this design is not foolproof in preventing any water within the wall hydrant from freezing during acclimate conditions. For example, a hose may be connected to the faucet head. This hose can be in a position where it is at an elevation higher than the wall hydrant, such as mounted on a reel above the hydrant. Further, the hydrant may be installed improperly with the discharge end not lower than the supply end. Also, the building may settle so that the discharge end is not lower than the supply end.
FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a commercially available sill cock or wall hydrant with the hydrant generally designated as numeral 10. Referring to FIG. 1, it is seen that the hydrant includes a handle 14, a faucet head 13 and a valve body or housing 15. The valve housing 15 can be of any material suitable for use in wall hydrant applications, such as copper, stainless steel, polyvinyl chloride, etc. Typically, the housing 15 is copper tubing. The housing 15 can be of any length through the wall required to connect the externally mounted head 13 with an internal fluid supply line (not shown).
At the supply end 11 of the housing 15 is mounted a valve body connector 16 for connecting the wall hydrant 10 with the water supply. At least part of the adapter 16 is threaded for connecting with the internal supply line. Preferably, the connector 16 is both internally and externally threaded 20. The connector 16 can be threadedly connected to the housing 15, but is typically soldered to the housing 15 in order to secure the connection from any leaks. The connector 16 can also be integral with the housing 15. The connector 16 further includes a valve seat (not shown) concentric to a fluid channel through the hydrant 10. Centrally positioned within the valve seat is a valve port (not shown) through which flow through the hydrant 10 is controlled, as will be explained below.
Running internally through the housing 15 from the faucet head 13 to the adapter seat is a valve stem 21. Like the housing 15, this stem 17 can be of any material suitable for use in wall hydrant applications, and typically is copper. At the supply end 11 of the stem 17 is a valve nut or like element 18 for mating with the connector valve seat. The stem 17 is positioned substantially centrally within the housing 15, and has an external diameter that is smaller than the internal diameter of the housing 15. The stem 21, and therefore the element 22, is positioned within the housing 15 so that it covers the adapter valve port 17 when seated on the connector seat. In this manner, fluid flow through the hydrant 10 is prevented. The valve element 18 can include a valve gasket 19 for ensuring that the seal created by the element 18 seating on the seat is complete and that no flow is permitted there through. The valve stem element 18 is able to freely rotate around the valve stem 21. Such design enables the element 18 to be stationary upon the connector seat as the stem 17 is extended by the rotation of the handle 25 against the element 22. The element 18 is secured around the end of the stem 17 by a screw or valve stem element connector (not shown).
At the discharge end 12 of the hydrant 10, the stem 17 is connected to the handle 14 by a screw or stem handle connector 26. At least a portion of the stem handle 20 is threaded (not shown) for sealingly engaging with a handle-to-faucet connector 29. At least a portion of the connector 21 is externally threaded 22 for threadedly engaging with the faucet 13. The connector 21 further includes a nut portion 24 whereby one is able to screw the connector 21, and therefore the handle 14 and stem 21, into the faucet 13 and valve body 15. The connector 21 includes a gasket 23 for creating a seal when securedly engaged with the faucet 13. In this manner, both the faucet 13 and the connector 21 remain stationary while the handle 14 and valve stem 17 are rotated.
Rotation of the handle 14 in one direction moves the stem 17 and its element 18 towards the connector seat until the element 18 sealingly engages with the seat over the port, thereby blocking flow through the valve 10. Rotation of the handle 14 in the other direction moves the stem 17 and its element 18 away from the connector seat, thereby permitting flow through the valve 10.
Many times a hose or other accessory may be attached to the end of the faucet 13. This accessory may already contain fluid in it that has frozen, causing the outlet of the faucet to be blocked. Water within the valve body 15 is trapped. In freezing conditions, that water can freeze, thereby increasing in volume within the faucet valve body 15. As that volume increases, the pressure within the valve 10 increases to a point that can be in excess of that which is needed to rupture the valve body 15. Should such a rupture occur, the subsequent leakage through the body 15 can be extremely damaging due to its camouflaged nature, as the leakage occurs within the confines of the wall space.
Valves designed to remedy problems such as that described above have only recently been described. These include, for example, the valve described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,530,391. Still, these valves are not readily adapted for replacing valves in wall-mounted faucets or stand-alone faucets. Accordingly, there is a need for an adapter that enables the simple and quick installment of a valve into a wall hydrant or stand-alone hydrant.